Sweet cherry focaccia

 

Serves 6. Ready within 24 hours.

warm water 400ml
dried yeast 2 tsp
sea salt 1 tsp
honey 1 tbsp
sourdough starter 3 tbsp (optional)
strong white bread flour 500g
olive oil 6 tbsp
cherries 350g
balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp
caster sugar 4 tbsp
rosemary leaves 2 tbsp

You will need a shallow baking tin, approximately 30cm x 24cm.

Put the water and dried yeast into a large mixing bowl, stir in the salt and honey. If you are using a sourdough starter, mix that in now. Introduce the flour, mixing the dough either by hand or with a wooden spatula or spoon. Pour in 2 tbsp of the olive oil and mix into the dough.

Lift the dough from the bowl and stretch it with your hands, folding it over. Return to the bowl and place a clean cloth or a plastic bag over the dough and leave it in the fridge overnight.

For the cherries: the next day, remove the stones from the cherries and mix them with the balsamic vinegar and half the caster sugar, then set aside for 30 minutes.

Lightly oil a roasting or baking tin roughly 34cm x 24cm, then transfer the dough to it, pulling and stretching it to fit. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 8. Spoon the cherries onto the dough, reserving any juices that have appeared in the bowl. Scatter the rosemary leaves over the surface and sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes until the dough has risen and the surface is golden. Pour the remaining olive oil over the surface of the focaccia and sprinkle over a little more sugar if you wish.

You can make this with or without the addition of a sourdough starter. I include it when I have a starter in the fridge, as it makes the dough lighter with a more open texture. Without it, the dough will still be good, especially after a night in the fridge. I have also used blackcurrants and blackberries with this dough. Wait for the dough to rise a second time before adding them, scattering them randomly over the surface; otherwise, they will ferment. Once made, the focaccia will keep for 24 hours in the fridge.

https://observer.co.uk/style/food/article/nigel-slaters-kitchen-diary-summers-cherries-gorgeous-fresh-or-baked

Blueberry Breakfast Roll

 Summer is peak berry season, and as you may know, blueberries are one of my favourites in baking. With lemon, they make the perfect sweet and bright combo! These Blueberry Rolls are a beautiful way to use their vibrant colour and flavour. Try it as a breakfast instead of a cinnamon roll, or have it as a comforting dessert!

Ingredients

2 tsp (6g) instant dry yeast

1/2 cup (110g) warm milk

4 tbsp (58g) sugar

2 1/2cups (325g) bread flour

Pinch of salt (2g)

2 eggs

1 tsp (4g) vanilla

4 tbsp (56g) butter

For the Blueberry Purée:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

Ground ginger (optional)

For the Frosting:

1/2 package (4 oz) cream cheese

3 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp blueberry purée

Pinch of salt

Vanilla

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and 1/2 tsp sugar.

Let it rest until fluffy for 5-7 minutes.

In a large bowl (preferably of a stand mixer), combine flour, the remaining sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and the activated yeast mixture.

Mix well for about 4-5 minutes.

Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 7-10 minutes.

Make a hole in the middle of the dough and add the butter.

Continue to knead the dough with a stand mixer for 7-10 minutes, then cover and let rest for 5-6 minutes.

Repeat this process until it no longer sticks to the edge of the bowl and is perfectly smooth.

Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

At this point, let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until almost doubled in size and then refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or let sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature and then overnight.

In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Use a potato masher to mash the blueberries.

Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 15 to 22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 14x12-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick).

Reserve 1 tbsp of the blueberry purée for the frosting.

Spread the remaining purée over the dough using a spatula.

If desired, sprinkle ground ginger evenly over the top.

Starting from the long end, roll the dough down to the bottom edge, as shown in the Instagram Reel.

Using a string or sharp knife, cut the dough into 8-9 equal rolls. Place the buns on baking sheets or a cast-iron skillet lined with parchment paper, and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for 40-45 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180C.

Bake the buns for about 25-30 minutes.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 20 minutes.

Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, blueberry puree, vanilla, and salt.

Using an electric whisk, mix until smooth.

Spread on cooled rolls and serve immediately.

Bon appétit!

Vegan Red Lentil Soup( Turkish Mercimek Corbasi) by Serhat Erdem

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
1 large carrot (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups red lentil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
4 cups vegetable broth (if you don’t want to make a vegan version you can use chicken broth)
3 cups warm water

To Serve:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried mint
Lemon

Instructions:
In a strainer wash the lentils with cold water.
Heat a large pot over medium heat add oil and onions and cook by stirring occasionally until the onions have softened. 

Add the carrot and garlic, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. 

Add tomato paste and lentils and cook for 30 sec.
Add vegetable stock, warm water, salt, pepper and paprika.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. 

Once it is boiled, reduce the heat to low and allow it to cook for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
Using a blender, blend the soup according to your preference (or you can serve it without blending)

Return the soup to the heat and bring the soup to a simmer for just a minute.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat olive oil and add red pepper flakes. Immediately remove from the heat.
Ladle the soup into a bowl. 

Pour some chilli oil over the top. 

Add crispy bread cubes, lemon juice, and dried mint.

Bon Appétit

PS

Confit Pots

Confit is the French word that means “to preserve”– the mustard and green pots were used for storing cooked meats and then buried in the ground or stored in stone-lined larders. This storage process preserved the cooked meat without refrigeration and could then be enjoyed throughout the winter months. The bottom halves were left unglazed for burying in the ground since the glaze would normally fall off sealed in the ground.  Meats, most often duck, goose, or pork, preserved in this method are often considered a delicacy. Confit d’oie is preserved goose and confit de canard is preserved duck. The meat in these dishes is moist and delicate.

https://www.instagram.com/turkuazkitchen/reel/CnXNEMPoPbo/

How to use a French press.

 Remember that the grind size will affect the taste and texture of the coffee, and you should consider the brewing process you choose. 

If you’re using a French press, you can opt for a coarser and chunkier grind, as the brew will be allowed to steep for a longer period. 

If you prefer drip or pour-over coffee, aim for a medium grind, but if you’re looking to make an espresso, you’ll need a very fine grind to support a very quick brewing process.

The darker the roast, the more time you should give since the slightly cooler water will allow the sweetness of darker roasts to truly shine.

Light roasts are known for their fruity, floral notes. Dark roasts tend to highlight rich, chocolatey flavours. Medium roasts strike a beautiful balance, sweet but perfectly acidic.

If you’re grinding your own whole-bean coffee, you’ll want to aim for a medium-coarse grind for French press brewing.

The best for the widest variety of roasts and beans is 1:15. That means for each 1 gram of coffee, you’ll need to add 15 grams of water.

Use your scale to weigh out your whole beans to fit the 1:15 ratio, then run them through your grinder. 

set the carafe on your scale, make sure your scale is set to measure grams, and take it—in other words, zero out the weight. From here on out, we’ll only be measuring the weight of the water we add in order to maintain our ratio.

If you’re using a 34 oz/1000 ml/1,0 L French press, you’ll aim for approximately 60 g of coffee and 900 ml of water.

The ideal temperature range for French press brewing is between 198°F and 205°F.

The gooseneck kettles give you the most control when pouring.

Slowly pour half of your water over the grounds, which creates your “slurry”—the mixture of coffee grounds and water—and set a timer for one minute. 

 just stirring enough to make sure that all the grounds have been fully saturated before we move on to brewing.

Now we’re going to give the slurry a chance to “bloom”,  add the rest of your water to the grounds and set a timer for three minutes. Gently, and with even pressure, start to push down on the plunger. 

Sit back and enjoy all of your hard work.

If your final cup tastes weak or sour, experiment with a slightly finer grind or an extra gram of coffee.

If your final cup tastes too strong or bitter, experiment with a slightly coarser grind.

https://u3coffee.com/blog/how-to-make-french-press-coffee/

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce and Easy Lemon Ice Cream with Crepes

 With rhubarbs and strawberries in their peak seasons, there’s no better time to make this recipe to capture their brightness and sweetness! These crepes make for a delicious dessert or a decadent choice for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce:
16oz (455g) fresh strawberries, quartered
1 1/2 cup rhubarb, 1-inch slices
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup granulated sugar (1/3 if you prefer less sweet)
Pinch of salt

Balsamic vinegar/opt/There’s something about the sweetness of balsamic vinegar that pairs so perfectly with fresh rhubarb and strawberries.

For the Easy Lemon Ice Cream:
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup lemon juice (add 1/2 cup for a more sour flavour)
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

For the Crepes:
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp/580g whole milk
2 tbsp/25g granulated sugar
2 cups/260g all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp/2g salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Serving:
Powdered sugar
Fresh mint

Instructions:

Prepare the Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce: 

Preheat oven to 190C. 

In a baking dish, add strawberries, rhubarb, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and salt. 

Stir to fully combine and then cover the dish with aluminum foil. 

Bake for 35 minutes. 

Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 200°C. 

Continue to bake for 8-10 minutes. 

The dish must have some liquid left when you take it out of the oven. This will thicken as it cools, but you still want to have some syrup for best results. 

Let it rest until it comes to room temperature.

Prepare the Easy Lemon Ice Cream: 

In a large bowl, stir together mascarpone, condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined. 

Using an electric mixer, whisk the heavy cream until fluffy and stiff peaks form. 

Fold the heavy cream into the lemon mixture. 

You can serve the cream as is or add it to an ice cream churner and churn for 25 minutes for an ice cream.

Prepare the Crepes: 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and milk. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. 

Pour about half of the milk mixture onto the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. 

Then add the remaining milk mixture and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.

Heat a non-stick pan or crepe pan over medium heat. 

When the pan is hot, lightly brush it with butter and pour a small ladle of batter in the middle. Immediately use a crepe spreader to spread the batter over the pan or lift the pan and swirl to form a circle. 

Cook for 40 to 60 seconds on both sides. 

Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter.

To serve, place some Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce on a serving plate and add Crepes. 

Top with powdered sugar, fresh mint, and Lemon Ice Cream on the side.